“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to a land I will show you.
I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’“
Genesis 12:1-3
–
JULY 25, 2025
God chooses people to accomplish His purposes on earth. He spoke to Abram and commanded him to leave all that was familiar and go to an unknown place that God would reveal. Then God made promises to Abram that must have raised questions: When would he, a childless man, become a great nation? What would it mean to have his name made great? Why would God bless and curse people based upon their attitude towards him? How could God bless all the peoples of the earth through him?
God proposed to Abram a whole new life that would depend upon the exercise of His power on behalf of Abram and his family. Abram would have to trust God to deliver on His promises. God made promises to Abram that were beyond human capabilities! The only way to realize the incredible things God had promised was to exercise faith: packing up and taking the first step into the desert with Sarai.
God was about to do something immeasurably more than Abram could have asked or imagined. The plan of God would be accomplished through His power at work in Abram and his offspring. God would reveal Himself through this great nation for generations to come. God’s provision for the redemption of all the peoples of the earth would come through His Son, born to a woman descended from Abram.
The one element common to Abram and all the peoples on earth is faith. By faith it is possible to leave the life of the world and begin a new life that God will show. God will bless this new life, and the person of faith will be a blessing to others.
Abram, whose name was later changed to Abraham, walked with God for the rest of his life. He made his share of mistakes, as we all do, but he never lost faith in the One who called him to leave his home and follow Him.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
- What have you left behind that God has replaced with something more than you could have asked for or imagined?
- How have you seen the power of God at work in your life?
- When has the exercise of faith in God enabled you to experience His blessing?
Church Reading Plan:
- Today, July 25: Judges 8; Acts 12
- Saturday, July 26: Judges 9; Acts 13
- Sunday, July 27: Judges 10; Acts 14